what i see from him is a guy who isn't willing to buy into what our head coach wants from him... what i see is a guy who wants everything tailor made to suit HIS style of game, & that's a style that plays no defense, scores every chance he gets, & focuses on involving his teammates & making his teammates better with secondary importance... to me, that's not a winning formula.

almost everything i've been conditioned to think about this guy has been seen ON THE COURT... all the stories about him in the papers are supplementary & just go to reinforce the notions i've already had about the guy... i don't need Frank Isola to tell me Marbury's not right for this franchise... i knew that a long time ago.

Posted by TMS:

what i see from him is a guy who isn't willing to buy into what our head coach wants from him... what i see is a guy who wants everything tailor made to suit HIS style of game, & that's a style that plays no defense, scores every chance he gets, & focuses on involving his teammates & making his teammates better with secondary importance... to me, that's not a winning formula.

almost everything i've been conditioned to think about this guy has been seen ON THE COURT... all the stories about him in the papers are supplementary & just go to reinforce the notions i've already had about the guy... i don't need Frank Isola to tell me Marbury's not right for this franchise... i knew that a long time ago.

I can live with that. It does amaze me that this guy has yet to mature. But I don't give him the entire blame. I just think he's a product of what the NBA has created.He was hailed as a franchise player well before he became one. Given a max contract before he ever achieved. Look at Steve Francis. Great talent, but does he really even know how to play basketball? The shots he takes cannot be mistaken by anyone as a good shot. Yet he was given near max money. GM's shelling out cash fearing that the next guy will be the one that got away. The truth has never been more evident that there are really only 4 or5 true franchise guys. The rest are just pieces of the puzzle.

This is the first time in their careers where a coach has not given in to them and given them everything they wanted. Fans are still having a hard time with it, not realizing that we are just as apt to win with STeph as without him. We don't need him. If he won't get on board we can move on and win with a lesser talented PG. Let's put to rest the idea of franchise guys and franchise saviors and build a true team. Personally I would like to see a guy like Franchise ride the pine and be a super six man until he learns the game. And I'd like to see Marbs either get on board or bring us something back in trade. Just my two cents.

Thank you Bip. The guy has a lot to learn and has some maturing, but maybe this is kind of like rockbottom for him right now, and after this season he'll finally start climbing up. I wouldn't completely count on it, but who knows.

BTW, to me, we have Malik, Jalen, Francis and Q1 who have leadership potential. If Marbury never ever becomes a leader, that's why it doesn't bother me, b/c of them, along with the fact that Jamal might be emerging as one. It's just the way I see that.

Posted by Bippity10:

He was hailed as a franchise player well before he became one.

exactly Bip... he actually believes that he's alot better than he really is, & that's why he can never buy into playing w/in a team concept imo... i think that unless there's a player who's clearly better than he is on the team that's willing to stand up to him & not take his primadonna act, he's going to continue being the surly "ALL ALONE" Starbury persona he's made for himself.

Steph is one of those guys that has to play with a chip on his shoulder. He seems like TO in that he has to be playing us against the world. I am telling you if he ever plays for Riley he is either gonna have his best years by far or he is totally gonna cave because Riley excels at taming headcases one way (Mason and Starks, X-Man) or another (Campbell, Charles Smith)

^I will give you Marbs has the TALENT to be one of the best PG's in the league, but there are quite a few I would take over him right now.

Nash, Kidd, Arenas, Wade (when he plays there), AI, Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Andre Miller, Chauncy...those guys are all the for sure guys I would rather have than Steph, I didn't even name the guys where it was too close to call.

I agree that he is better than all those players. I was giving Steph a compliment by saying if he played for Riley he would either be a Sonic Boom and have his best season ever by far or he would be a bust because as much as Brown is into the mind games through the press Riley is a master manipulator behind the scenes and I think he would just mind-f^ck him to no end.

Steph under Riley in my opinion, if it meshed would be sick because they both have that me against the world attitude.

Posted by SlimPack:

I think marbury did a good and unselfish thing by transfering the duty to take the last shot to crawford, becuase he felt crawford was in a better position to take it. other than that I really have nothing to say about this article except that news writers shouldnt be able to write 1 or 2 pages of what essentially amounts to nothing, just so they can meet a deadline.

Freedom of the press. ITs a bitch, but we also don't have to read it, nor take it for the gospel the average american believes most anything that comes from the credible medial. Hell, look whom they voted for president!

I think Marbs has issues with trusting people. That would include teammates and coaches alike. A tough street kid he had to no only survive, but do so on HIS talents, HIS sweat, and Protect HIS family. Many hangers on IM sure has been problematic for him for years. Maybe that is why he lives in LA in the off season. Maybe he sees any coach that tries to make him conform is a sign of weakness and lessons his stature.

It ain't easy to get a max contract in this business and he has reached the absolute top of his profession regarding earning capacity and security. Perhaps the law of diminishing returns starts to apply as the things that got you to the top will eventually get you. So long as he maintains fiscal sanity, he will accomplish is ultimate goal.

Maybe now he might want to consider his personal "evolution" to expand his definition of success and take the "emotional risk" of trusting Larry and Isiah, and his team mates. I can't speak to his personal life but if the same constraints of trust are there, he will not be a happy camper in the long run. Life is full of risks, sometimes bad $hit happens, but sometimes good happens.

This is some heady stuff and I don't expect to see any evidence of this thru the media. That would be exposing a softer side of Steph which I doubt he would allow. But a little might go a long way in gaining acceptance from his mates, coaches, fans and the media would love him!

Patrick was similar but I think his teams got along with him much better.

I understand "looking out for number 1" but if that very thing that propels you to the top starts to erode your stature, one must consider changing a bit for the good of everyone.

Good luck Steph, while we gonna ride you and the scowl, most of us are rooting for you to become the player that will help the knicks.

Paul is putting up numbers close to Steph in his FIRST year and is leading a team projected to be lotto bound to the playoffs. Give Steph Duncan and I don't know what happens. Honestly I don't think Duncan and Steph would mesh because Steph is IMO not professional enough.

Understand Steph was my favorite player coming out of college behind Ewing and I started to hate him when he started showing how retarded he could act sometimes. When he came to the Knicks I jumped on board with both feet without looking before I lept, I was that happy. I was also predicting Steph and Larry would be a great team and Steph would be the next Chauncy. Steph is rubbing people the wrong way with this and I am one of them.

Each and every one of those guys has an argument to be had over Steph. Now if Steph actually played within the system and defended and led this team I would honestly believe he could be the best PG in the league because he has ALL the tools. I will give you that and I actually agree with it. Problem is he wants to do it his way and his way just hasn't worked. Ever.

If we don't like Starbury as a person its because there has been no reason to make us like him.

He has rendered himself unmarketable, so its not just some fans.

He has not had a drug problem, legal issues, nor raped or molested anyone. He has not publically choked his coach nor whine to refs.

So what is it that makes him so unlikable? Keeping it real? I can respect him alot for not sucking up for marketing opportunities. Iverson is similar but has a likable persona but is marketable. While Him and Larry did not see eye to eye, they worked it out, and AI is very complimentary of Larry. So is Billups. Larry DEMANDS his points sacrifice a part of there game. Billups was the MVP of the series and is very marketable because of his success.

ONe more time, the fans here are not out for blood, they are rooting for Marbury. The press will sensationalize everything, including larrys baggage. They have for years and years. Larry is a SOB! One reason he is successful, and in demand.

Defending Marbury will incite more commentary. The posts here are competitive as we are driven to lay blame on one or the other and place a premium on substantiating fault on one of the other.

I think most of us really want the same thing, and Marbs and Larry are 95% on the same page. Losing sucks for everyone.

[Edited by - nalod on 03-21-2006 09:46 AM]

Posted by joec32033:

I think Parker would be a solid PG on a team without Duncan.

Duncan is not having his best season, and Obi won Ginobli has been hurt most of the year.

Parker has really stepped his game up this year.

Eva can do that.

Posted by misterearl:


If Marbury is dealt, who will be the next target?

in this order: isiah, lb, curry, francis